LOGINZAXI woke up to an empty bed, and I couldn’t find her anywhere in the house. I followed her smell to her father’s tower.“Mason, are you in there?” Of course, he was. I could feel his scent— a mix of cold and metallic and old wood.“Red went for a run,” he said as he opened the door. “Something’s going on in her head, and she never hid anything from me until now.”“Yeah.” I sighed heavily. “Since she came back, she seemed in despair and melancholy. I let her rest before we talk about the union, but I woke up to an empty bed.”“Something happened during her training?” Worry deepened his voice.“She said it wasn’t training, but a self-reflection.”“Then why don’t you call the Japanese and ask what happened?” His eyes narrowed at me.“I’m gonna talk to him and Zarah later.”He breathed deeply. The glimmer of fear flickered in his eyes. “Mother, my creation, I hope I’m wrong about this.”“What are you talking about?” I scowled at him.“Just go find my daughter, Alpha Zax. You’re her mate
REDI fell asleep right away the moment my head hit the pillow. It wasn’t just exhaustion that beat me or burned me out. What Ren’s sensei had shown me still terrified me to the point that it shook me like a leaf.And I had to find a way to deal with it, or how to tell everyone not to make me look like I’d gone insane.There was a part of me that wished I hadn’t gone there, but what I saw was just a warning, and there was a way to stop it from happening, but I didn’t know when or how.My heart was racing.There was a lot of blood, and I could hear the screams and chaos everywhere, around me. Death was everywhere. The stench was nauseating. I was holding the dagger, dripping with blood, and my mate was staring at me in shock with agonizing pain deep in his eyes, and he was severely wounded.I sucked in a sharp breath, jolting to sit with my body damp with sweat. My hair was sticking to my neck and forehead. I checked my hands. They were shaking, no blood, but I could still feel how I
ZAXI hopped out of my truck as we finally made it to the clearing where Zarah sent the location. I couldn’t wait to see Red. I couldn’t wait to kiss her, feel her in my arms, and take her scent into my lungs.I really missed her, and my life wasn’t the same without her for the past few days.The house wasn’t the same without her voice and laugh. And I felt an emptiness inside me. My wolf had become more agitated and restless without her, and the reminder that the full moon was approaching.With my hands on my hips, I looked around, and I didn’t see her or Ren.“Couldn’t the ninja just call us to say they were on the way?” Axl came to me.“He’s not a ninja. He’s the airwolf and a swordmaster.”“I know something is different about him.” I felt his gaze on me. “Sir?”“I can’t talk right now, Axl. Not until I see my mate.”“All right, sir.” He stepped back, joining Clay and Gillean.A few minutes passed, but they hadn’t appeared, and I was getting impatient.“Clay, are you sure this is—”
REDIf Ren was losing patience, then I knew I was not going anywhere with the training. I felt like I let him down and everyone back home. But I was exhausted and too impatient to get something done quickly.“It’s simple. Change your style to the side, lift, and cut. But faster and more precise, and that’s the only chance you have before your opponent sees your fucking weakness.”I breathed hard. “Maybe I’m just not for this.”“Oh, really?” His eyes narrowed at me. “What happened to the woman yesterday who said I wanna learn everything. Whatever fear you have in you, that’s what gets you killed and everyone around you. You’re the weakest one that they have to risk their lives to protect. Do you wanna be just a pathetic little human? Go ahead. Let’s stop pretending we’re going somewhere, because you’re not up for this. You’re not ready, and never will be. Something is holding you back, and I can’t help you break that barrier because, honestly, you don’t want me to help you. And I’m so
RED“What’s bothering you, child?” Hearing the word child reminded me of Zarah. That was the first thing I noticed.Gasping, I opened my eyes to an old man with white hair and a long white goatee before me. He was wearing traditional dress, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint its origin. His eyes were Asian, and he had an accent.He sat before me, the same way I sat while meditating.“Um, how do you know something’s bothering me?”“Well, you’ve been trying to meditate, but you couldn’t focus. You’re doubting why you’re here, doubting that you have a gift, and scared it might change you into something you don’t want to be.“Have you met people like me?”“Doubtful? Yes.”I smiled. “A tribrid.”“You’re not a tribrid until you’re the three. Right now, you’re just a human who has enhanced senses with rapid healing.”“You’re right. I’m just human.” My shoulders drooped. Sighing, I said, “I don’t know who I am anymore.”“If you could save a lot of people, but to do that, you have to sacrifice a pa
ZaxWhenever I met my enemies, I made sure to look them directly in the eyes.They said the window to someone’s soul was their eyes, but the only thing I saw was blazing fury mixed with despair. Interesting.Goddess, I wish Red were here to read what’s in this asshole’s head.“You killed my men?” The roar in his voice should send chills down my spine, but I felt nothing for them other than regret that I wasn’t the one who took the lives of those useless pieces of shit.“I’m not sure. I killed a lot of men. As I said, give me the names and their pictures to confirm their identities. And when you called for this meeting, then you must have known your men crossed the line they shouldn’t.”For a split second, I saw a flicker of something that looked like hope in those brown eyes, but his entire body contracted with wrathful anger as he gestured at his man.I leaned back in the chair, keeping an eye on his movement and the ones outside. When I walked in, I counted eight of his men on their







